In Between the Air Raid Sirens

Last week, amid the air raid sirens, we were able to distribute hundreds of food parcels at the Great Synagogue in Odessa. This port city in southern Ukraine comes under daily attack from Russia. The plywood panels covering the windows of the Great Synagogue, built in 1899, stand as silent witnesses to the drone explosions that occurred in the neighborhood a few weeks ago.

Despite the constant danger, we went to Odessa on Wednesday — a drive of more than four hundred kilometers. Once we arrive at our destination, we can begin unloading and distributing the food parcels. One of our drivers and two local volunteers had already arrived in Odessa with two trucks full of food parcels. The first group of people is already waiting before the agreed-upon time at the synagogue’s entrance to receive a food parcel. Some have even traveled for an hour to get here. They are not disappointed. No one goes home empty-handed.

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An Unexpected Gift
While I’m busy handing out the food parcels, I suddenly feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see an elderly woman standing there with tears in her eyes.

“I have food for you”, she says.
“Yes”, I reply, “we have food parcels for you.”
“No”, she says, “you don’t understand. I have food for you.”
I look at her in confusion. Food? For us?
“Wait here”, she says.

The elderly woman walks away and returns a moment later carrying a large homemade cheesecake. With a warm smile, she hands it to me. From the little she has, she chooses to give something to us as a token of gratitude for the food parcel she has received. It’s a deeply touching moment. This time, it feels especially meaningful to give her a food parcel. With a smile on her face, she heads home.

Shortly after the distribution, the air raid siren sounds once again across Odessa. We leave the city with mixed feelings. We are grateful that these food parcels can ease some of the suffering of the Jewish community in Odessa. At the same time, we see how this ongoing war continues to leave deep scars on people’s lives.